Wind impeller governor



s p 1945- J. PRINCE 2,384,757

WIND IMPELLER GOVERNOR Fiied Feb. 4, 194:5 2 Shets-Sheet 1 I fINYENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 11, 1945. J. p mc 2,384,767

WIND IMPELLER GOVERNOR Filed Feb. 4, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iawh-INVENTOR- W ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 11, 1945 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIND lMFELLERGOVERNOR John Prince, Sioux City, Iowa, assignor of onehalf to A. P.Nelson, Spencer, Iowa Application February 4, 1943, Serial No. 474,642

1 Claim.

My invention pertains to a governing device for wind driven impellerblades.

An object of my invention is to provide a governing device whichautomatically lowers the speed of rotation as the impeller blades rotateabout a fixed axis.

A further object of my invention is to pro-, vide such a governingdevice which will govern the speed of rotation of such impeller bladesby presenting a reduced surface of such blades to the wind when certainspeeds are attained.

A further object of my invention is to provide a governing device ofthis character which includes governing members which will not applytheir forces too quickly, or, in other words, in

a gradual uniform manner.

A further object of my invention is to provide an arrangement whereinthe governing device includes fixed shafts with means rotatable aboutthe shafts for th governing function.

A further object of my invention is to provide a governing device inwhich the governing action is applied synchronously to two or moreblades of the arrangement.

A further object of my invention is to provide an adjustment wherein thestarting pitch of the arrangement can be set as desired.

A further object of my invention is to provide a method for attaching animpeller blade at the desired pitch in a positive manner wherein theattached members cannot get out of the desired pitch and wherein theywill 'be held securely.

A further object of my invention is to provide all the above mentionedobjects in a simple structure. 1

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of mydevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a forward elevation of an impeller structure utilizing twoimpeller blades,

Figure 2 is an enlarged side view similar to Fig. 1 with the exception,however, that the impeller blades are at a position 90 from thatposition shown in Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a forward view of Fig. 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail taken substan; tially along the lines 4-4of Fig. 2,

Figure 5 is a section taken along the lines 55 of Fig. 3, and

Figure 6 is a further detail.

My invention contemplates the provision of a governing arrangement whicheliminates some of the objections caused by certain governors whereinthe governing action is applied in an abrupt manner, and one of theprincipal objectives of my invention, as stated heretofore, is toprovide a governing arrangement which is uniform and smooth inoperation. It will be understood, of course, through the descriptionherein, that the arrangement can be applied to any number of blades asdesired.

I have used the character 10 to designate an electric generator whichincludes the rotor shaft ll. Securely attached to the rotor shaft II isthe hub member l2 which is attached to the shaft by means of suitablekeys, or preferably by means of a shrunk fit. Extending at rightanglesto the member I2 are the two extending members l3, and securelyattached at M (see Fig, 4) to the members l3 by means of a shrunk fit,etc., are the further fixed shafts l5 which, therefore, extend radiallyfrom the central shaft H. Enclosing the shafts [5 are the cylindricalshells I6 which shells include the bearings I1 and I8 so that th shells16 can rotate about the fixed shafts l5. The shells l8 include shouldersat I!) upon which rests the thrust bearings 20 which can be of the ballor roller bearing type. The

shafts l-5 extend to the termination at 2|.which Extending integrallyfrom the flange 24 is the 6 round pin 26 which passes between an upperblock 21 and a lower block 28, with each of said blocks including thearcuate surfaces 29 and 30 adapted to snugly engage the. exteriorsurface of the pin The impeller blades are indicated by the character 3|which impeller blades are received within the sheet metal holder's 32,and attached thereto by means of rivets or other means '33. Merging withthe holder 32 are the further spaced dished members 34 and 35 whichsnugly engage the blocks 21 and 28, with the lower block 28 normallybeing riveted or welded to the lower portion 35. The upper member 34includes the opening 36 which communicates with a further opening 3"!which passes to the pin 26. By virtueof this construction, the impellerblades 3| can be fixed at any desired angle by first setting the anglewhen the arrangement is assembled on the pin 26, and then welding theupper block 21 through the opening 36 and the opening 37 so that the pin26 and the composite Weld will firmly afiix the impeller blad at thedesired angle which cannot become displaced. Just before the weldingoperation, however, the bolts 38 are tightened just sufficiently tostill allow the arrangement to be turned slightly to the desired pitch,

The shaft H extends through the hub portion l2 into a further integralportion 39, and securely attached to the front end of the shaft l2 at isa further reduced shaft 4| which passes forwardly and which is slidablyreceived within the bearing .2 (see Fig. 6) which bearing is receivedwithin the further cylindrical housing 43. The member 43 terminates inthe collar 44 which collar includes the ears 45. The forward portion of,the rod or shaft 4| is threaded at 46 and is engaged by the lock nuts41.. Extending integrally from the rotatable sleeves l6 and attached at48 thereto are the inwardly extending flanges 49 which terminate in thecylindrical bosses 50. The bosses 50 are attached to the further members5| which members 5| are pivotally attached at 52 to a pair of links 53.The links 53 extend forwardly (see Fig. 2) and are further pivotallyattached at 54 to the ears of the collar 44. 'The bosses 59, as will beseen from Fig. 2, normally extend angularly with respect to the plane ofrotation of the blades 3|. Attached to the bosses at 55 are thegoverning bars 56 which are preferably made round, but which can be madeof any other cross sectional shape, and these governing bars or weights5% are then positioned substantially at an angle to the plane ofrotation of the impeller blades 3|, the dotted line 51 in Fig. 2indicating the normal plane of rotation of the blades. The angle ofinclination of the members 56 from the plane of rotation can be anydesired angle, although I have found that substantially between 30 and40 is to be preferred. A compression spring 58 receives the forwardlyextending rod 4| and abuts at 59 against the collar 44 and rearwardlyagainst the extending portion 39.

The device functions as follows: Assuming that the wind is blowing inthe direction of the arrows 60 (see Fig. 2), the impeller blades willthen rotate in the direction of the arrows 6| (see Figs. 1 and 3).Normally, the weights 56 are positioned as shown in Fig. 2, that is,when the blades are in their stationary position. During rotation of theblades, however, about the shaft ll, the tendency will be for thecentrifugally urged members 56 to be thrown outwardly, thereby carryingthese members also inwardly in the direction of the arrows 62 as shownin Fig. 2. In other words, the greater the speed of rotation of theimpeller blades, the greater will be the tendency for the weights 56 toapproach the plane of rotation of the blades. As the weights 56 pivot inthe direction of the arrows 62, correspondingly the collar M will becarried inwardly against the spring 58, and due to the fact that theweights 56 are rigidly attached to the boss 50, which, in turn, isrigidly attached to the sleeves I6, the sleeves l6 will be rotated aslight distance about the fixed shafts.

rally, the greater the area of the blades, the higher the speed, andvice versa. As a result, the faster the blades rotate, the greater isthe tendency for the centrifugally urged members to pitch the blades atan angle to the wind, thereby reducing thereof,

the effective area, whereby the blades are slowed down sufficiently torestrict them to the desired normal speed. This governing action therebyprevents injurious effects to tower structures and the like which areset up through too rapid speed, which causes excess vibration,overcharging of batteries, etc.

Since the governing weights 56 are of a uniform size throughout thelength thereof, the governing action is effected more gradually, andsince the spring 58 tends to exert a compressive effect upon the collar44, the action is also very uniform and not abrupt. Also, during releaseof the governing action,.or when the weights swing back to normalposition or during decreased speed of the blades, the tendency will befor a gradual action. Since the links 53 are connected to the samecollar 44, the. blades are pitched synchronously, or at the same speedand angle, which is important in maintaining a uniform action for two orthree blades, whichever structure is used.

As shown in Fig. 2, the blade is originally set at a slight angle, andby the provision of the nuts A? which are threadably engaged with theportion 45, the original starting pitch of the impeller blades can beincreased or decreased as desired by merely screwing these nuts upon thethreaded portion, carrying the collar M inwardly or outwardly to thedesired distance, thereby correspondingly adjusting the starting pitchof the blades. The provision of the fixed shafts with the sleevesrotating about these shafts eliminates centrally arranged rotatingparts, thereby providing functioning members which will not readily getout of order.

It will now be seen that I have provided a governing device for winddriven impeller blades which provides the objectives mentioned in theobjects of my invention, and which includes other advantages readilyapparent.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of thepartsof my invention without departing from the real spirit and purposeof my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims anymodified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which maybe reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

A governing device for wind impeller blades comprising a shaft driven bysaid blades, a plurality of fixed shafts extending radially therefrom,sleeves journalled on said fixed shafts, said impeller blades beingattached to said sleeves, centrifugal means for urging said sleevesrotatably about said fixed shafts, said shaft including an extensionthereof, a collar slidably engaged with said extension, links connectingsaid collar and said sleeves to provide synchronous turning saidimpeller blades being normally pitched at a starting pitch, saidcentrifugal means adapted to swing said blades to a greater angularposition. with respect to the plane of rotation thereof to provide areduced area for wind action thereagainst, a compression springpositioned between said collar and said shaft to provide resistingmovement of said centrifugalmeans, said centrifugal means includinglengthened weighted bars rigidly attached to said sleeves, said barsbeing normally positioned at a substantial angle to the plane ofrotation of said impeller blades.

JOHN PRINCE.

